1. What is sputtering deposition?

Sputter deposition is a method of depositing thin films by sputtering material from a “target”. Sputtering is a term used to describe the mechanism in which atoms are ejected from the surface of a material when that surface is stuck by sufficiency energetic ions generated by low-pressure gas plasma, usually an argon plasma. The sputtering takes place at a much lower temperature than evaporation. Sputtered atoms ejected into the gas phase in vapor form are not in their thermodynamic equilibrium state and tend to condense on all surfaces in the vacuum chamber including the substrate.

2. Why are thin films important?

There are many useful applications for thin films. We desire to produce properties in a material that are often conflicting in nature if we use one homogeneous material. Semiconductor devices, for example, are fabricated on a thin layer deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The integrated electronic circuits depend on the confinement of electrical charges, which relies on the interfaces between different materials with different electronic properties. There are also many occasions when the properties demanded an engineering application involve features that are different for the surface than that are for the bulk. Depositing metal films and patterning them on the surface are relatively easy to secure electrical connection between semiconductor devices.

3.How does a sputtering system work?

Generally, in sputtering systems ions are generated and directed at a target, then ions sputter targets atoms. The ejected atoms are transported to the substrate and atoms condense and form a thin film. Below image shows the simple schematic of a sputtering system.

deposition page - NanoStructured Coatings Co.

Options & Features	DSR1	DSCR	DCR	DST1-170	DST1-300	DSCT	DCT	DST3-A	DST3-S	DST3-TA	DST3-TS	DTT	PLD	PLD-T
Sputtering	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔	✔
Carbon Evaporation		✔	✔			✔	✔
Resistance Thermal Evaporation										✔	✔	✔		✔
Pulsed Laser Deposition													✔	✔
Multi Layer Deposition								✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Co-Sputtering or Co-Evaporation								✔		✔		✔		✔
RF Power					✔			✔	✔	✔	✔
DC Power	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔		✔	✔	✔	✔
High Current Power		✔	✔			✔	✔			✔	✔	✔		✔
Rotary	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Turbo				✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔	✔
Size of Vacuum Chamber	S	S	S	S	L	S	S	L	L	L	L	L	L	L
Number of Targets or Thermal Sources	1	1		1	1	1		3	3	3	3	3	3	3